Q one: What was your first memory of Seattle?

When my family arrived from Canada, I was eleven, and was very naïve and ignorant of the ways of the world that day. So, my first memory was moving into a small apartment on Lower Queen Anne Hill. Eventually I would become a high school student on the top its hill, the first place I met my lifelong friend, Ed Boitano, now an editor of www.TravelingBoy.com.

As we unloaded our baggage, though there wasn’t much, for the small apartment was fully furnished, I noticed there was a strange buzz in the air, unlike anything I had ever heard before.

Later, I learned it came from concert at the site of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, by a rock group from Liverpool, who had shockingly long hair. They were named the Beatles, and in a few years would have a great impact in my own life. Soon I transitioned to John Lennon government issued horn rimmed glasses and began to wear my hair long.

Q two: When you were young, how did your parents transition into a new life in Seattle?

My father was a Cockney Londoner, who was a boxer before joining the British Merchant Marines. One of the vessels took him to Winnipeg, where he met and married a 14-year-old Canadian farm girl, who gave birth to my brother and me.

My father, Peter, found a graveyard position as a security guard in downtown Seattle’s new 50 Story Bank Building. We were proud of his new tenure, though others though it was absurb to take pride in such a low profession. But we would remind them, it was an honest job, and he was in charge of protecting a high building, which was then the tallest throughout Seattle.

Q three. You speak with admiration about your father. You must have gotten along with him.

As I said, my father was a Cockney from London, and my brother and I would laugh, when others could not understand what he was saying. And sometimes we would laugh at ourselves, too; for we couldn’t understand a single word he was saying either, and were given a one-way ticket to be alone in our bedroom.

In the early morning, around 6 a.m., his night of work was over, and he would pack our family in a Studebaker for a trip to Seattle’s Green Lake.

And it was there that he taught me how to swim and dive. Due to the early morning hour, the area that surrounded Green Lake was empty of people, and we had the lake to ourselves. And I enjoyed the solitude, for no others would see me struggle and swim, and laugh at me as I crawled up to the shore.

Our high school on the top of Queen Anne Hill was famous for its setting and spectacular city views. But for us it was just an old building and we would barely notice the views. Ed Boitano had Norwegian uncles who were QA Grizzly graduates in the 1910s. Recently, he informed me that General Leslie Groves, who was played by Matt Damon in the 2023 film, Oppenheimer, was QA alumni of the class of 1914.

My Seattle friend, Ed, would boast that he could watch the Space Needle’s construction from his elementary school playground at the Seattle district of Magnolia. He would also boast that he was a native Seattleite, while I was only a mere transplant from distant Canada. These things have always been important to him… for he likes to be one up on the next guy.

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All photographs by Deb Roskamp unless otherwise noted.

While everyone seemed to be relocating north to Seattle, I bolted from my home town for the bright lights of Los Angeles. But I would return to my ancestral home often. While visiting, I would frequently kick myself for never exploring the amazing attractions outside of the western part of the state. Sure, I knew Western Washington’s Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, the islands of Puget Sound, the rain forests and the rugged Washington coast well, but I never really gave the rich agricultural eastern part of the state, known more for sun than rain, a chance. This spring I decided to do something about it.

The legacy of Spokane’s World’s Fair in Expo ’74 remains today at
the 100-acre Riverfront Park.

First Stop – Spokane

Nestled on the far eastern border of the state, Spokane was originally the home of The Spokans (“children of the sun”), who were drawn to the hunting grounds and abundance of salmon in the Spokane River. This changed with the arrival of the first European settlers who established a trading post and eventually a railroad industry that built the city.

Spokane – now the second largest city in Washington – was put on the national radar when it hosted the world’s first environmentally themed World’s Fair in Expo ’74. The event transformed the city’s urban core, removing the railroad yard along the river, converting it into the 100-acre Riverfront Park, the centerpiece of the fair. Its legacy remains today with many of the attractions still in use.

On what was a perfect Sunday afternoon, I strolled through the park, watching families frolicking on the Looff Carrousel and the Skyride which glides over the Spokane Falls. As I branched out into the city, it was easy to see that Spokane boasts the best of both worlds: a setting in spectacular natural beauty, but with a plethora of urban pleasures of a re-invented downtown, restaurants, bookstores and vibrant nightlife thanks to the presence of Whitworth and Gonzaga Universities. I was hungry to see more. So, I rented a car for an exploration of the Spokane Region, where I discovered a world of ancient cedar forests, pristine rivers, quaint small towns, deserted ghost towns and scores of golf courses.

Where to Stay in Spokane

The iconic Davenport Hotel is a grand hotel that stems back to the gilded age. It helped transform Spokane’s dying city core into a vibrant destination where people have returned to live.

The district is even named the Davenport Arts District. With that said, it is well-worth a self-guided tour, but it can be hard on the pocketbook.

A pleasant alternative to the Davenport is just down the street: The Montvale Hotel. On a much smaller scale than The Davenport, this property has re-imagined itself as premier boutique hotel with a modern twist, while still maintaining the ambience of downtown’s bygone era. If you’re in town just for the day, it too rates a tour.

On to the Palouse

In October 1805, Lewis and Clark arrived in The Palouse region. They were stunned by the beauty and magnitude of its landscape of rolling hills and plateaus. As with other tribes on their historic exploration, they made friends with the nomadic Palus tribe, renowned as expert equestrians. The term Appaloosa is a derivation of the Palouse horse. Traditionally, the Palouse region was defined as the fertile hills and prairies north of the Snake River in southeast Washington and north central Idaho.

Today The Palouse Scenic Byway combines 208 miles of sweeping hills and spectacular vistas, expansive wheat and lentil farmlands, and small towns with distinctive, rich history and charm.

The Dahmen Barn’s attractions include a gift shop featuring art, fine crafts and products from the Palouse, artisans at work in their studio spaces who will share their creative process with visitors, a monthly art exhibition, and regularly scheduled classes and performance events.

There is no center to The Palouse Scenic Byway; it is a place to simply leisurely drive along the gentle curving highways, sprinkled with antique shops, wineries, easy access venues for hiking and biking, and, above all, photography. If you ever needed to stop the world and simply relax, this is the place for it.

Pullman – My Home Base

With a population of 27,030, the charming town of Pullman is similar to the much larger Spokane with spectacular natural beauty surrounding its core, plus offering urban amenities due to Washington State University towering above it. It’s also located right smack in the middle of The Palouse. There’s a refreshing small town feel, and the locals are welcoming and excited that you are exploring their area.

A number of Pullman restaurants have embraced the slow food movement with the emphasis on seasonal and locally grown food. With bread made with local wheat, produce from nearby farms, cheese made at the WSU and fish from the Snake and Columbia Rivers, you are quite literally tasting the landscape.

Recommended Pullman Restaurants

South Fork Public House is the brain child of co-owner of Jim Harbour, who is also a professor at WSU. Utilizing regional ingredients, they are known for their wine and beer pairings with seasonal local food items.

My favorite dish: MAC & CHEESE – penne noodles tossed in WSU-made Cougar Gold cheese sauce, topped with locally smoked bacon & seasonal scallions. The torpedo-like grissini, made with Palouse wheat, makes a popular component to the meal.

The Black Cypress is a venue that reflects the qualities of the Palouse region that keep people living here. A hybrid of Greek and local food items, owner Nick Pitsilionis places an emphasis on an appreciation for honest food, company, and drink. Many of the produce items come from his own farm.

My favorite dish: TIE: Golden Lentil Soup – Washington is the US’s leading producer of lentils – served with seasonal bruschetta that consists of grilled local Panhandle Bakery bread made with Palouse Sheppard’s Wheat.

And in-house smoked back bacon from a hog raised on the WSU campus, along with local apples and Guinness mustard, whose hops are imported from Yakima, Washington, served on the side. Guinness hops.

Joan Swensen’s love for fusion-style cooking was piqued during her decade of living and eating out “a lot” in San Francisco. Her restaurant reflects this passion with unique parings, using regional items as much as possible. Joan’s Swilly’s restaurant is now gone, but her passion with unique parings, using regional items continues on as Executive Chef at Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman.

My favorite dish: Gazpacho – the best I’ve ever had – made completely with local produce, followed by Sage-Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Vanilla-Fig Sauce, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Baby Bok Choy

Where to Stay in Pullman

A Holiday Inn may not seem regional or unique, but there’s something about Pullman’s Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites that takes service and amenities to the next level. And even better, The Palouse is right at your doorstep.

Extra: Central Washington’s Lower Yakima Valley

With the stars above and the lights below best describes Roskamp Vineyard’s enchanting position on top of Snipes Mountain in Central Washington’s Lower Yakima Valley. With the majesty of Mt. Rainer and Mt. Adams in the distance, the vineyard was the brainchild of Herman Roskamp (1922 – 2002) and his wife, Gay. They diligently dedicated themselves to the labor intensive work and patience of creating a world-class vineyard from scratch. The Yakima Valley has long been an abundant produce belt for the Pacific Northwest – not to mention its golden hops are exported to the Guinness brewery in Dublin – and it only made sense that vineyards would soon follow. Mr. Roskamp knew his vineyard would be a smashing success for the Yakima Valley is blessed with 300 days of annual sunshine and enjoys the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France. When the Washington wine explosion hit the market, Roskamp Vineyard was at the forefront, with their grapes widely sought after from major wineries. Recently two Roskamp Vineyard wines received national attention: The Co Dinn 2014 Roskamp Vineyard Block Two Syrah, which emotes an intense and distinctive bouquet of dark raspberry, herb and plum, and the premium Co Dinn 2015 Roskamp Vineyard Chardonnay that features a unique delicacy and complexity. Today Washington State is the second largest wine producer in the U.S. Mr. Roskamp was selected as Yakima Valley’s rookie wine grower of the year in 2001 at the age of 78-years-young. Roskamp Vineyard is currently managed by Gay Roskamp, son Michael and his wife, Shari.

Related Articles:
Olympic Peninsula; My Private Seattle; Olympia, Washington; Columbia River Cruise; Lost in the North Cascades; Northern Washington; Samish Island, WA; Eastern Washington

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Traveling to Locations Close to Home is the theme of our latest T-Boy Society of Film, Travel & Music poll. ‘Close to Home’ can mean by foot, car, scooter, motorcycle, skateboard, drone, skis, surfboard, blimp, parasail, parachute or human cannonball. It’s always fun to see our many T-Boy writers – writers who have been regularly delivering original content that cannot be found anywhere else on the globe – address joyful, memory-filled locations, which are in their own backyard.

Susan Breslow – T-Boy Writer:

A TASTE OF NEW YORK’S LOWER EAST SIDE

More than a century ago my father was born in a tenement on the Lower East Side. On steaming summer days, he slept on the fire escape to avoid sharing the bed with his three brothers. The day before he was to graduate from junior high school, he dropped out in order to find a job before the other students. Those early years motivated him to build a life where he would work hard and pull himself up from poverty to become a wealthy man.

Even when my dad lived in a fine house on a hill, he would drive our family in from the suburbs to recapture a taste of his youth, which included hot pastrami sandwiches at Katz’s deli (established 1888) followed with charlotte russe, a creamy dessert now a victim of pastry obsolescence.

The Lower East Side, which stretches south from Houston (how-stun) Street to Canal Street and from the Bowery to the East River, has evolved in a century. Today six-story tenement walkups stand alongside towering new constructions. Hip hotels and galleries have moved in. And CBD purveyors have replaced shops where Hasidic merchants once sold brassieres in any size you needed… as long as they came in white.

Fortunately, vestiges of the old neighborhood’s history remain. Absorb the essence of the area by visiting the Tenement Museum. Tour guides lead visitors up narrow staircases where generations of Jewish, Irish, and Spanish immigrant families lived between 1863 and 2011 and tell their stories. The Museum also features an expertly curated bookstore on the ground level.

Directly across the street, Moscot opticians has been making eyeglasses for New Yorkers for over a century, and their line of Moscot Originals decorates the faces of some well-known celebrities.

At another legacy business, Russ & Daughters (circa 1907), appetizing is a noun as well as an adjective. This is the place to order New York’s iconic bagel & paper-thin Gaspe smoked nova to go. Another delicacy: the  Super Heebster, which adds a layer of wasabi roe to whitefish-and-baked-salmon salad on a bagel. The shop also has a vintage-style café close by.

Could you possibly still be hungry? Stock up on sweets at circa-1937 Economy Candy, a phantasmagorical emporium filled floor to ceiling with chocolates, gum, licorice, pastilles, jelly beans, taffy, dried fruits and nuts, imported confections, and other delights. It will send you away from the Lower East Side on a sugar high.

Fyllis Hockman – T-Boy Writer:

Washington, DC: The Planet Word Museum

I live in a suburb of Washington, DC and I only have to go into the District itself to visit one of the most delightful and entertaining museums I’ve ever been to – and I’ve been to a lot. The Planet Word Museum, “Where language comes to life,” portrays all the magical ways in which words can be employed in their myriad maneuverings to explain, entertain and elucidate. Interactive exhibits that talk, teach, train and titillate.

The museum is divided into the foundations of language; all the cool things you can do with words, and ultimately why words matter. Nine different galleries amuse, amaze and astonish.

I left the museum with a smile on my face, thinking to myself: What a wonderful place! Four little words. One declarative sentence. And yet it says so much. Words are funny that way…

Ringo Boitano – T-Boy Writer:

The Seattle Center International Fountain

In my early college days at the U-Dub (University of Washington), I resided in a Lower Queen Anne Hill apartment four blocks from the Seattle Center, the former site of the 1962 World’s Fair. Many of the Center’s arenas, halls, concert venues were repurposed, while the remaining iconic structures such as the Space Needle, the Seattle Center Coliseum and the Pacific Science Pavilions still stand strong today.

With that said, and with apologies to Vancouver BC’s Stanley Park, the Seattle Center is my pick for the greatest urban park in North America. My experiences in Mexico City’s many sublime parks have been too brief for me to comment. But, no, Mister Trump; Mexico is not a nation of drug dealers, rapist and murders, but home to the most hospitable people in the world.

But the spot, the very spot where I spent countless late afternoons in the spring, summer and fall, was a spot where I sat on the upper circular concrete bench, overlooking the Seattle Center Fountain (International Fountain). Gazing into the fountain’s shower of water, often colorized by different shades of electric light, proved to be my place to relax, to decompress and to access my current station in life; often leading to meditative daydreams and the cleansing of my soul.

My thoughts would often give way to watching children’s games, where the kids would carefully sneak down the round concrete hill to get as close to the fountain’s spraying water without getting wet. The groups on the bench became a communion of one, watching and laughing good naturedly at the kids who got soaked and applauding the ones that didn’t.

I’m really not sure if I could have made it through my college years without the Seattle Center Fountain. I should add that my roommate at the time was my brother, Ed Boitano, also a frequent fountain attendee. He spent his early college years at Seattle Central Community College with grades too low to enroll in the U-Dub. He finally got his act together – “finally” a life-long personal trait – and then was transformed by films at the U-Dub’s Cinema Studies Program. He became so enamored by film theory that it became virtually impossible for us to just have a simple chat about a movie. BTW, T-Boy readers, do not ever mention the titles: ‘Braveheart’ or ‘Die Hard’ to Ed, for you’ll experience a savage diatribe that will shake you to your very soul. But we continue to work happily together on (his) travel website, despite the constant outburst: “I made you, Ringo!”

Ed’s preference for his time at the fountain was when the sun was low and the people were few. I would occasionally notice him, often times in conversation with someone a few generations older. I once asked him “What do you talk about?” He replied that an older person would sit a polite distance away, and then engage him in gentle conversation. “Like what, Ed?” Well, it can be why I have long hair and why I am a “Hippie.” But it was not said in outrage or condemnation, for many elderly people are lonely and pretty much out of the loop when it comes to contemporary social culture. I would always try to oblige, well aware that their loved ones might have passed away and the person might be desperately alone in the world. The next stage is the person discussing his own narrative which can be happy or sad. It works for both of us for we learn about each other and ultimately have a better understanding of our place in the world.

I recall that Ed’s favorite track on the Simon and Garfunkel “Bookends” LP was “Old Friends.” He would often say, “I can sing a few lines if you like.” “Another time, Ed,” was my reply… “I’ll call you.”

James Boitano – T-Boy Writer:

Two Sides of the Same State

My home city of Seattle is legendarily rainy. I think the amount of rain is a bit exaggerated: it may rain more in New York and Memphis, but Seattle has a lot of gray and cloudy days. We are smothered more in drizzle than in downpours. While we may have nearly constantly sunny skies from June to September, it’s quite the opposite from October to May. During the ‘gray months of the year’ it can feel like weeks go by without seeing the sun.

The remedy is the state’s geography. For lapping at Seattle’s eastern suburbs begin the majestic coastal range, the Cascades, a string of picturesque, conical shaped volcanoes, the most famous of which is Mount Rainier. The mountains catch the clouds as they drift from the Pacific Ocean to the West over Seattle to the East. They also trap the moisture, and thus right on the other side of these mountains we find the arid paradise of the central and eastern part of the state. In just an hour you are on the top of Snoqualmie Pass.

 And as soon as you cross this magical divide, you are in a different world. The liberal world of Seattle is replaced by a more traditional, agricultural land, where you are more likely to hear country or Mexican music or see political signs for the red side of the spectrum. Fields of hay, pastures of cattle, and skies of blue greet you. Yes, skies of blue. What a blessing.

So, ok. It’s not Paris. But it is Ellensburg. The drive over the pass and through the golden farmlands is a good way to clear your mind. And you can be sure that there is plenty of authentic Mexican Food and local steaks for lunch to fuel you before your drive back

Phil Morley – T-Boy Writer and Poet:

Seattle’s Green Lake

Though born in Montreal, my growing years were spent in my family home on the north side of Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill. My father was a British expat, who worked a graveyard shift as a security guard at the 50-story Bank Building (now Safeco Plaza) in downtown Seattle. Standing at 630 feet, it was Seattle’s tallest building (today the 7^th), and in 1969 it was considered a bit of an eyesore. Never-the-less, we were quite proud of our father to work in such a state-of-the-art building. He was a product of the English working class, with minimal schooling and even less opportunities for the future. He plowed his trade as a boxer, and later joined the Canadian Merchant Navy. How and why Canada? I fear I’ll never know. There are many questions I had wished to ask him before his recent passing at age 91. But the stint in the navy proved to be a positive pathway in his life’s odyssey, where he married a fourteen-year-old Canadian farm girl who would become my mother.

Like clockwork, during the Seattle summers at 6 a.m. – with “clockwork,” the very definition of the security guards’ job – my father would pick up my mother, brother and yours truly, and drive three or four miles away to a sacred destination. Though still a bit on the sleepy side, my eyes would soon be wide open upon our arrival at Seattle’s north-central Green Lake District. It was never too early for us to take a dip in the crisp, fresh water, for we considered ourselves lucky to have the entire lake to ourselves.

Its unique color was due to blooming green algae that covered the 259-acreage surfaced lake. And we adored our early morning treks to the lake with barely a soul around. It was where I learned to swim, which eventually led to performing various dives from the dock in complete privacy, sans a stranger’s discouraging eyes. We would return home refreshed and alive, and I would commence my early morning job as a paperboy for the Seattle P.I.

Occasionally, I would stroll back to the lake in the afternoon (often hitchhiking, with never a word to me mum) and bump into Mr. Ed Boitano. My parents referred to him as “The Hippy.” Despite my parents’ objections, a year or so later, I too grew my hair out in long golden stands. And, with the addition of a pair of imitation John Lennon government issued wire-rimmed glasses, my hipness was confirmed.

It was at Green Lake where Ed overcame his fear of water, and eventually learned to swim, but it did take a little time. Even today it’s not a pretty picture watching his clumsy brush strokes in a swimming pool. During his adolescence, he even had a preference for the safety of the children’s wading pool, where its deepest waters could barely touch his waist.

Ed eventually became hopelessly addicted to the movies (which he would pretentiously refer to as “The Cine-Mah.” In particular, it was the films of Bresson, Godard and Ozu that really got him going. Ed transitioned to film making and went on to make a few award-winning films in Seattle until bailing for the bright lights of Hollywood. I know he stuck at it and worked a number of struggling artist jobs (his words), including a graveyard security guard gig at the home of Charles Bronson. He’d write screenplays all night using Bronson’s on-site manager’s office as his own, leaving his days open for meetings and waiting for the proverbial phone call that rarely came. Once, he told me, he was so focused on writing a script that he never even noticed a blaring security alarm. Apparently, the solemn Bronson seemed to like him, but Ed eventually slipped into an entry level newspaper job – plus the guy could barely keep his eyes open during the day – and it became a career that led to his tenure of travel editor of Traveling Boy and other magazines and newspapers. Somewhere in his narrative he met an enchanting woman, also an expat from Washington State, named Deb Roskamp. Somehow, he managed to trick her into marrying him – no one really knows how – and she has stood beside him in failure and success. Even including a love for his battered 1969 Dodge Dart which had difficulties starting.

Ed Boitano- T-Boy Editor:

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Seattle

To many it’s referred to as the “Ballard Locks,” but to me it has always been “The Locks.” No one ever told me how famous they were: listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1917 and designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The Lock’s construction dramatically reshaped the topography of Seattle, lowering the freshwater level of Lake Washington and Lake Union by 8.8 feet, adding miles of new waterfront land, reversing the flow of rivers, constituting a rebirth of the piers in Seattle’s Salmon Bay and Fishermen’s Terminal, allowing an easy waterway for shipping throughout the seawater world. The Locks maintained the freshwater level of Lake Washington and Lake Union at roughly 22 feet above sea level to meet Puget Sound’s mean low tide, with help from man-made dredged canals, known as the Fremont and Montlake Cuts, which united all waterways. Today, almost 50,000 vessels lock through the Hiram M. Chittenden, with many part of the Alaskan fishing fleet.

A walk to the locks served as my own personal easy mile-long stroll from my childhood home in Seattle’s Magnolia District. I stress Magnolia for the connective locks between Lake Washington’s fresh water and the seawater of Puget Sound have two land entrances: the Ballard District in the north and Magnolia in the south. Though Ballard is the ‘official’ pathway, complete with the surrounding Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens, Magnolians take pride in the fish ladder (salmon) and a rather murky aquarium and small museum on their side. Most importantly, each side features an enchanting, rolling downhill green lawn, designed with well-maintained horizontal terraces, overlooking the busiest locking system in the nation.

Sitting on one of the green terraces, watching more boat traffic than in any other lock system in the U.S., always proved to be a redemptive rest of disconnection, a disconnection from my own busy life. Later in life, as I traversed throughout the world, I found my self-proclaimed “busy life,” a mere charade in comparison to those whose hectic life meant finding enough food to be served at the table.  

Back at the Locks, it was always fun to see the passengers on the small or grand pleasure boats, who were participants in the lock’s process; catching, tying and throwing ropes up to the Lock’s employees above them, which completes the final task of merging the water levels. As jocular adolescents, we would often mock and laugh at the wealthy owners of palatial mega pleasure boats due to their clumsiness with the ropes and struggling to follow the strict commands of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks’ employees, whose no nonsense task was to keep things safe and rolling. Yes, it was a well-deserved laugh. After all, where else can you verbally assault an assumed multimillionaire or CEO without negative ramifications, that is, besides a sporting venue.

Further thoughts from Ed Boitano: Mr. Morely, please avoid the use of “Ed Boitano” in your segment. I can get through it myself. But some of your comments were vastly incorrect. I actually learned the Dead Mans’ Float at Golden Gardens on Shilshole Bay. I only traveled to Green Lake due to the Golden Garden’s rough terrain of pebbles and rocks mixed into the sand, which warranted my wearing a pair of battered tennis shoes in the water. Plus, when I huffed and puffed back to the shore after completing a particularly challenging Dead Mans’ Float, my body from head to toe would be wrapped in seaweed, which produced both laughter and alarm among other beach goers. The laughter and alarm also included my own, upon looking at my reflection in the beach lavatory mirror.

And younger brother, Ringo Boitano, I found it interesting that you never mentioned our little band of 12-year-olds, when we’d take the elevator ride at night to the top of Seattle Center’s Space Needle observation desk to smoke cigarettes and drink bad vending machine hot chocolate. We’d do it almost every Friday or Saturday night after attending a Totem’s hockey game at the Seattle Center Coliseum. Cold, wet and windy; we’d have the observation deck to ourselves, the only people stupid enough to suffer through the evening’s challenging weather. Just before we approached the Needle’s admission desk, we would make Paul dress like a ten-year old, and buy six or so individual tickets for the whole gang, as we hid behind a nearby building. It was a big savings for us, bringing the cost down to 50 cents per person, opposed to one dollar. Also, and please take no offense, Ringo, for I do try to love you the best I can… but I’ve often wondered if you really are my brother.

Tony Chisholm – T-Boy Writer

Canada’s Niagara

Where to start talking about one of the great wonders of the world. Very recently the Province of Ontario has lifted almost all covid restrictions and Niagara is welcoming back its many American friends. It’s definitely open for business and new attractions have been added in the past few years. But first, what about the falls themselves.

The Canadian “Horseshoe” Falls are 167 feet high or 50.9 meters. The volume of water over the horseshoe is 600,000 U.S. gallons or 2,271,247 liters per second. Yes, per second and that doesn’t include the volume at the American Falls! Twenty percent of all the fresh water in the world lies in the Upper Great Lakes. All this water flows over the falls on its way to the ocean. The theory is that it takes over 300 years for a drop of water to flow from the far end of Lake Superior, through all the lakes and the St Lawrence River, out to the ocean. (See the falls live on webcam https://www.niagarafallslive.com )

There is so much to do and see on the Canadian side of “The Falls” while you save money with the Canadian dollar being about 20% less in value. But let’s just touch on the latest attraction. Niagara Parks has opened up the spectacular original “Niagara Power Station” to the public. The station was built in 1905 and generated power for over 100 years. Now, just a few years after its turbines were shut down, the wonder of this hydro power pioneer has become an entertaining and educational experience. This engineering marvel is now open to the public and is full of interactive exhibits and repurposed artifacts in a unique architectural structure. Since its opening a year ago it has proven very popular and has gleaned a number of impressive awards.

Then there is beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake just a 20-minute picturesque drive from the iconic Niagara Falls! This is where I live and every day enjoy the rich history and beautiful landscapes. Our town is also known as the “prettiest little town” in Canada. True to our heritage, the streets and parks remain full of amazing gardens, historical markers, parks and trails. Nestled at the base of the Niagara River we can see Fort Niagara on the US side from our shore. Fort George is open all year for you to explore a soldier’s life in 1813. Fort Mississauga is nestled in the middle of the NOTL Golf Club. The geographic region lends itself well to soft fruit growing so in the summer come join us for anyone of our festivals celebrating fresh picked strawberries, cherries or peaches! In addition, we are lucky to have many fabulous restaurants and summer music festivals. For its size, it is one of the richest cultural areas in all of Canada.

Shaw Festival Theatre is North America’s largest repertoire theatre. From April to December enjoy one of the many world class productions from musicals to dramas, to comedies, you are sure to be entertained in one of their three theaters!

Our region is definitely known for a lot of things including its parks and trails systems. The sailing club has its regular races that makes the sunsets over Lake Ontario even more picturesque! Biking is just pure joy for the novice or the hardcore cyclist, this area has beautiful vistas and miles of relatively flat trails, or rides up the Niagara Escarpment, sure to make you feel the burn! The 900-kilometer-long Bruce Trail which follows the Niagara escarpment, starts in the nearby village of Queenston.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about wine. While our region has about 100 wineries, we think our town has 30 of the best Canada has to offer. Ravine Winery won top 10 winery restaurant in the world in 2013. Inniskiln, under the careful mastery of Karl Kaiser, resurrected the craft of Ice Wine making, the grapes are picked by hand on only the coldest nights of the year! This sweet nectar is a superb gift to your palate! Not a wine drinker? Then come see us because we have brew pubs too! Silversmith, Oast Breweries and the Exchange Brewery, along with many others, have very successfully launched their breweries in the past few years.

Our town offers quaint shops, bakeries, many great restaurants, pubs, galleries and a grocer all within a short stroll of your vacation home or unique hotel room. You can book a tour, find a guide for a customized day of exploration or do a self-guided tour through our region. Niagara is within a day’s drive of New York, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Baltimore… so come see us! Don’t like to drive? Buffalo airport is just 30 miles away!! Yes, Niagara is close to home.

The post Traveling to Locations Close to Home appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s first poll for 2021 is dedicated to favorite domestic destinations: Cities, Towns and Sites. We felt this would be an appropriate theme as traveling to domestic destinations is slowly opening up.

You’ll find members’ selections to be deeply personal, reflective and educational; experiences that helped shape their lives. I know I did. Here’s looking for a spectacular year of travel.

Visit our past polls

— EB

Richard Carroll — T-Boy writer:

For me New Orleans is like a spirited island unto itself. Music swirls about the city in a marvelous mix of church gospel, the 12 bar blues, R&B, Zydeco, Cajun, Latin, and timeless New Orleans jazz, all captured throughout the day and night in Jackson Square, and free concerts in the St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic Cathedral in the country dating to 1720 when New Orleans was a Spanish colony. I feel the Square resembles Paris along the Seine or Prague in summer. Artists sit jauntily under umbrellas displaying their work as the ubiquitous street entertainers juggle, tap dance, play the tuba, strut and mime, and work one-liners off the audience. It’s such a blast to dance to Tuba Skinny or Superband or the Smoking Time Jazz Club, all New Orleans’ street jazz bands, usually performing on Royal St. with great passion.

I believe New Orleans is the most European of U.S. cities with convincing Caribbean influences hovering about. With the Mississippi River a stone’s throw away, the city has the feel of a vibrant 1860’s seaport town, where mystical voodoo shops flourish, and music, art, and dining are revered aspects of the city’s lifestyle. After numerous visits I discovered there are more than 50 historic locations in the Quarter, eight museums, tree-lined parks and aged churches with character. It’s exciting to feel that the Vieux Carre or French Quarter is a heady concoction of Paris, Trinidad, and the Caribbean spiced with a touch of other cultures including Italian, Spanish, Irish, Central America and Africa, and yet remains purely American.

I’ve observed that the Quarter and Bourbon Street are a setting for a youthful adult playground with a dress code beyond a fashion queen’s worst nightmare. College kids deep in their “Go Cups” sporting T-shirts, jeans, seven inch platform heels, and leopard skin mini-skirts roam the Quarter in a mesh-mash of rampaging hormones, and new best friends, though the excitement fades into the mists of the fast-moving Mississippi River when reality sets in.

With each visit I notice that New Orleanian’s have stubbornly refused to release their heritage and the city has retained a distinctive character that is reflected in their language, cuisine, music, architecture, neighborhoods, and celebrations. New Orleans with character to share is among my favorite domestic destinations for sure.

Stephen Brewer — T-Boy writer:

A Trip Up Steens Mountain, Oregon

According to the official count, only 12 people live in Frenchglen, way over in the southeastern corner of Oregon. I would have guessed that with so few neighbors for company, you’d be eager to chat with just about anyone who crossed your path. Then again, you’re probably pretty taciturn by nature if you choose to settle in such a remote spot.

Or so I’ve learned over the years. On my last visit I arrived just in time for dinner at the Frenchglen hotel (served at 6:30 sharp, no exceptions). The paneled, brightly lit, linoleum-floored room feels like a homey ranch kitchen, and heaping platters of baked chicken and roasted potatoes were set out on the long trestle tables. An aproned woman who seemed to be in charge of things came within earshot, so I informed her that a rather large rattlesnake was stretched out under a tree on the front lawn.

“Yep,” she said, “better eat those biscuits before they get cold.”

Another conversational gambit was no more productive.

“Think I could have another piece of that marionberry pie?”

“Nope.”

The other business in Frenchglen is a general store with a gas pump out front. This is where you top up the tank before heading out on the 50-mile-long gravel loop road that crosses the flank of Steens Mountain. It’s slow going up the rutted track, through steppes covered in aspen and mountain mahogany, but the leisurely pace makes it all the easier to enjoy the sights along the way. Cowboys on horseback and herds of grazing cattle appear as silhouettes against the horizon. A cloud of dust and the thud of hooves signals the fleeting appearance of a herd of wild horses. Pronghorn saunter onto the road, apparently  with no intention of moving along anytime soon and seemingly mindful that most of us have no idea how to get a huge, furry, fearsomely horned wild animal out of our way. A faded marker identifies a pretty little patch of greenery as Whorehouse Meadow, where enterprising women used to set up tents to service Basque and Irish shepherds. Just shy of 10,000 feet the road comes to a viewpoint. Far, far below, at the bottom of a sheer precipice, spreads the Alvord Desert, the dried-up bed of an ancient lake that’s now a glaring expanse of white, crinkled earth.

A little farther along another turnoff leads to the edge of Kiger Gorge, a cleft in the mountain half a mile deep and more than twice that in width. Looking over the snow-dusted furrows and folds I sensed a slight disturbance and turned my head to see an enormous eagle just over my shoulder, floating on some unseen current. I had time to notice a keen eye and the delicate ribbing of an enormous wing, then the creature was far away, high above the gorge.

I was still experiencing a rush of excitement when I sat down to dinner that night. “I saw an eagle,” I reported to the serving lady when she set a heaping platter of carved ham on the table. “So close I could almost touch it.”

“Yep,” she said. “The baked beans will be out in a minute.”

A little later, unsolicited, my friend brought me a second piece of pie, this time blueberry. I like to think she was helping me celebrate that magnificent creature soaring over those timeless landscapes.

Ed Boitano — T-Boy editor:

Chicago, IL: Isn’t Seattle a super city, Dad! This I proclaimed to Louis Boitano while driving through downtown Seattle as a young adolescent. It was a magical summer evening. Illuminated by neon and city lights, the fleet was in town and furloughed sailors marched past Pike Place Market and down First Avenue in search of unknown pleasures.

My father finally broke the news, Seattle is not a city, Eddie. Chicago is a city. He knew the BIG city well after receiving months of technical training at Chicago’s Navy Pier in preparation for his involvement in WW2.

Years later, I found myself riding the 1.79-mile Chicago Loop, with no intention of ever getting off. That is until a gaping hole in my stomach told me it was time for an exploration of the city’s delectable food scene. I was not conflicted upon the choice of my first meal, Uno Pizzeria, the birthplace of the deep-dish pizza. The following days included more deep-dish at Gino’s East, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria and my personal favorite, Giordano’s, which offered a Northern Italian interpretation. A walk to the South Side led me to Little Italy for Italian beef and ice, with stops in between at vendor carts, selling the Chicago Dog or Chicago Red Hot, an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, topped with mustard, chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices and absolutely no catsup. After all, I did need to keep my strength up.

At night, entertainment consisted of the riveting blues clubs: Kingston Mines, B.L.U.E.S. and Buddy Guy’s Legends. By day, Millennium Park; the Magnificent Mile; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Museum of Science and Industry; Lincoln Park Zoo; and two major league baseball stadiums (if you live north of the Chicago River, your team is the Cubs at Wrigley Field, south the White Sox at the new Guaranteed Rate Field). Then, the unequivocal  highpoint of my Windy City experience; miles upon miles of Chicago’s architectural treasures witnessed on a Chicago Riverboat Tour. We can thank Mrs. O’Leary’s cow for that.  And all this with a BIG midwestern sense of politeness and hospitality.

Baltimore, MD: It’s pronounced Balamor or Balmer, explained Joel, my lifelong Baltimore friend. Then, beaming with pride, It’s also the birthplace of the Coddy — salted codfish cakes, cheaper than crab, served on two saltines with mustard; the Snowball — crushed ice and syrup served with liquid marsh mellow or ice cream; Chesapeake Blue Crabs, Fort McHenry and Babe Ruth. Joel’s insider tips were helpful as I prepared for my first trip to this Mid-Atlantic city, just south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I was a goner upon just setting my eyes on the now pristine Baltimore Inner Harbor. In the neighborhoods beyond, blocks of white marbled stepped rowhouses; Lexington Market, the oldest market in America circa 1782 and home of the Faidley crab cakes; and the retro-modern Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with my seat on the hotel room deck overlooking the baseball stadium. Baltimore loves its artist and personalities, and Edgar Allan Poe dominates much of the old city with his last house, now a museum, and the Baltimore Ravens football team naming itself after his narrative poem, “The Raven.” I was a tad disappointed with the city’s bus tour, but was enthralled upon discovering the Baltimore Harbor Taxi, with stops at the National Aquarium, a real working Little Italy, and the terraced waterfront homes of former maritime captains at Fells Point, dating from the 1790s. In its middle, the must-eat eclectic restaurant, Bertha’s Muscles. Though still shrouded in mystery, many believe Poe himself was found lying in a Fells Point gutter on the day of his death at Washington College Hospital. But, no one really knows for sure.

Natchez, Mississippi: You came all the way over here from Los Angeles California to see us… well, I better get you a good room, said the kind woman at the hotel’s front desk. Moments later on the elevator, I turned to the quiet teenage Africa-American bellhop. You certainly live in a beautiful city! His under the breath reply, Get me out of here. I took pause, realizing that a Yankee boy from the West Coast had much to learn about the duality of the polite bellhop’s Deep South City. Located high on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Natchez  is home to more than one thousand structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with a number  of Antebellum (“pre-war,” “pre Civil War”) mansions with many open for tours. Characterized by neoclassical and Greek Revival architectural style, they were once the lavish dwellings of prosperous plantation owners, built by the hands of slave labor. I decided to take a pass on the tours and save the analysis of the city’s duality for later, and chose to simply lay around on the lawn in a quiet little park, basking in Natchez’s sublime ambience.

Seattle, WA: Kennedy was shot, whispered my grade school friend, Ricky Meyers. Many of us know the exact time and place when we first heard this horrific, almost incomprehensible news. My place was the sacred playground of Magnolia elementary school on Nov 22, 1963. Its holy grounds also offered a spectacular view of the building of the Space Needle. As a first-grader, each day at recess Ricky and I would rush out to the playground and watch this architectural wonder’s construction, marveling at its new growth and futuristic space age splendor. And with its completion for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition — Seattle World’s Fair, my little maritime town, seemingly hidden in the northwest corner of America, became a world-class city for the rest of the planet to see.

New Orleans, LA: Red beans and ricely yours, was how former Black Storyville resident Louis Armstrong would often end his letters, due to his passion for New Orleans’ traditional Monday night meal of red beans and rice. Passion and emotion  screams New Orleans with its unique fusion of Spanish and French Creole, Amerindian and Afro-Caribbean history and culture, music and architecture; relished by tourists and locals, who seem to live in the moment with plenty of free time. This includes its regional cuisine, a diverse mix of the culinary traditions of French Acadians, Spanish, Sicilians, African-Americans and Afro-Caribbean slaves, and AmerIndian nations. It’s hot and humid in Nola, and with the blending of local produce and seafood from the Gulf, its recognizable cuisine is justifiably known throughout the world. Personal favorites include  po’ boy and Italian muffuletta sandwiches, Gulf oysters fried or on the half-shell, boiled crawfish and seafood etouffée (smothered), jambalaya, gumbo and yes, Satchmo’s favorite, red beans and rice. But why on Mondays?  It’s wash day, of course, and the ovens and stoves needed space for boiling water.

T.E. Mattox — T-Boy writer:

1. Memphis — B.B.King said it best, ‘Memphis is the Home of the Blues.’ Spend an afternoon visiting the Blues Hall of Fame, and just across the street is the Civil Rights museum. Then take in the night life along Beale Street. The Rum Boogie Café and a hundred other jukes and bars will truly enchant. Sun Studio’s and the Memphis Recording Services, Stax Records… Gospel, R&B and Rock and Roll… Memphis is a musical wonderland.

2. About an hour south down Highway 61, you’ll find Clarksdale, Mississippi — better known as the Blues Crossroads. Legend has it that’s where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Visit the Hopson Plantation and spend the night at the ShackUp Inn. The evenings are filled with blues at Ground Zero, Red’s or the Juke Joint Chapel. An amazing cultural and musical emersion you’ll want to experience again and again.

3. Julian, California — an easy drive east of San Diego. A step back in time. The local drugstore still serves egg creams like they had in the 1800s. You can still pan for gold and tour the depths of a gold mine. Julian Pies are the stuff of legends. A fun day for the whole family.

4. Old Town Temecula, California — Old Town Blues Club is known for its appearances of national and international artists and some of Southern California’s finest musicians. The boardwalk runs through the entire town and is lined by antique shops and restaurants for every appetite. Temecula vineyards provide world-class tastings. Guaranteed you’ll take home at least a bottle or two.

5. Austin, Texas — Where BBQ lives and the music scene thrives. A college town, Austin is known for its high energy clubs, bars and entertainment. The Continental Club, Antone’s and the Saxon Pub are but a few must-experiences. The party rarely stops so plan to have a little fun.

Allan Troy Smith — T-Boy writer & photographer:

A few years ago, I discovered the Quilieute Oceanside Resort located on the Quileute Nation, at La Push, Washington.

In the northwest corner of the United States, alongside the Pacific Ocean, it is one of the most peaceful, majestic ocean vacation sites there is in North America.

With an assortment of lodgings ranging from RV parking, cold-water A-frame cabins, small cabins with wood-burning stoves, to deluxe accommodations with stone fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling views of the mighty Pacific, there is something to please everyone.

No wi-fi ensures a completely relaxing stay. Huge pieces of driftwood litter the beach, which is covered with rounded stones of all sizes worn smooth by millennia of waves crashing on the shore.  The sunsets are memorable. I guarantee you will start thinking of your next visit as soon as you return home.

It’s a long drive from anywhere to get there, but well worth it. Although currently closed to visitors due to the pandemic, hopefully they will reopen soon. I have stayed there several times in different seasons, and it is always a wonderfully relaxing experience. I recommend a two-night stay because one is just not enough.

Richard Frisbie — T-Boy Writer:

I love to travel internationally (an impossibility this pandemic) and rarely travel domestically. Still, there are a few places in the US I go every year or so just to veg out.

A summer visit to Portsmouth New Hampshire and Southern Maine is a MUST. The seafood and seacoast are the main reasons, but family ties to the area round it out. I’ve even been known to take a day-trip there (8 hours round trip from New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley) just for a lobster roll and the rejuvenating smell of the salty sea air.

The exhilaration of walking the streets of Manhattan in all-weather day or night, soaking up the sights and smells while people watching, gets me on MetroNorth several times a year. I rarely spend the night in the city, unless an event makes me miss the last train, but the lure of a concert, a show, or an important museum opening is impossible to resist.

Finally, I love Ithaca and the Finger Lakes Region. That college town has so much action, and the natural beauty of the surrounding area begs to be viewed from a boat or a hiking trail. When that builds an appetite, I’m lucky, because the food scene is fantastic there, with an unlimited variety of great wines to wash down the creative dishes.

Mostly, though, I stay home. My town in the Mid-Hudson Valley is on almost every “Best Village”, “Most Charming Weekend Trips”, and “Best Destination” list every year. The Mid-Hudson Valley is beautiful, the art & culture scene is second only to Manhattan, and the overflow of chefs graduating from the Culinary Institute of America keeps this foodie very happy. I just stay here and let the world come to me.

Fyllis Hockman — T-Boy writer:

Key West, Florida

I don’t think Key West would ordinarily come to mind as a town worthy of being a domestic favorite but having just visited it is at the forefront of my mind.

Key West, Florida is more than a place. It is a spirit, a funky energy that enters your soul and takes residence in your worldview as well as your inner vision. A state of mind more than a city; a way of life more than a place to live. It’s a lifestyle, not a destination. All expressed in the absurdist poetry that is Key west, a language not spoken anywhere else in the country.

Renovated cigar factories share space with Victorian mansions laced with gingerbread trimming; upscale art galleries reside next to tacky t-shirt shops. Fashion, funk and frivolity define the town; art and shlock and whimsy co-exist on the same bar stool. And yes, those stools are there in abundance, many of which claim that Ernest Hemingway, the most famous Key West resident, occupied that seat as well. But even recognizing all this, I didn’t fully have a grasp on the essence of the town until I spotted several elderly old men playing Bocce ball. I asked another observer if lawn bowling is popular because many people of Italian descent live in Key West. “Oh no,” she chuckled. “It’s popular because you can play Bocce with one hand and hold a drink in the other.” I bet Hemingway loved Bocce ball. Welcome to Key West!

Rourke — Musician & composer:

Lower East Side/Greenwich Village, New York City — This would be home if I hadn’t married a small-town girl who hates traffic and noise.  There’s never a dull moment here.   I’ve spent many days trekking the neighborhood to see where Charlie faced off with Beg Bug Eddie (Pope of Greenwich Village), or where Johnny-Boy blew up a corner mailbox in (Mean Streets).And then there’s Katz, with corned beef and pastrami cured up to 30 days.

The Mission District, San Francisco — Easily the coolest area in S.F. (the Castro is a close 2nd).   There’s really no reason to leave the Mission District.  It has the best food, the coolest bars, the best cultural mix in the Bay area.

The National Mall, Washington D.C. — I’m a geek for politics and American history.   I remember posing for a picture with Barry Goldwater when I was eleven, and marching for the environment in 2017.   I remember going to Brad Sherman’s office to check-in for a tour of the Capitol and the son of a bitch didn’t even shake my hand.   I walked every inch of every museum to suck up every ounce of American pride until my feet bled.  And I would do it every year if I could.

Maine — It’s quiet up there.   That’s probably why George and Barbara loved it so much, that and the seafood.   And all the small little towns, each one with their own lobster shack, and many of those lobster shacks closed for the off-season.  Driving through Maine is about as American as it gets.  There’s no left or right, no red or blue, just good people living a good life.

Wailea, Maui — Yes, all the islands are a treasure in their own way, and there are other parts of Maui that are amazing too.   But sometimes in life you just want to curl up in the lap of luxury, drink Mai Tai’s all day, stare at the bluest ocean, watch the sunset, not lift a thought for anything else in the world, and do it all again the next day.

Brent Campbell — Musician & composer:

Big Domestic City — Chicago. I love NYC but Chicago has a very special place in America. It is the heart of America. Great museums, history, restaurants, and of course, the blues. Check out Buddy Guy’s club just south of the city and you will know what I am talking about.

Mid-size American city — Nashville. This mid-sized city has it all. Free music on every street. A great country music museum. Schedule a week in Nashville and it will take a while to stop smiling.

Small American city — Madison, WI. I call Madison small because they have no national teams (go Badgers). I have only visited on several summer weeklong stays, go to Madison any time. There is a constant energy in this place! The student union terrace is amazing in the summer. Dancing in the streets till dawn! Since 1983, Memorial Day the World’s Largest Brat Fest has sold more than 4 million brats to help raise almost $2 million to benefit 100+ local charities.

Tiny American city — Chelan, WA. Although the world has discovered Chelan, I can still claim it as a favorite. I went there often as a kid with my family. There was an old wooden roadhouse next to where we stayed. NW music ruled the night(s). It influenced my early exposure to music. Imagine sleeping on a cot next to the Sonics, the Wailers, the Kingsmen, etc, night after night.

Chelan’s climate is typical for Eastern Washington. Located behind the rainshadow of the Cascade Mountains, it receives a near-desert amount of precipitation each year.

Tony Chisholm — The Canadian Connection:

The Lost Boys

“The road to oblivion is easily traveled, the road back hard to follow.” — Chinese Proverb

A California Trip to Yosemite and Mono Lake

Chris, Steve and Andrew flew in from Canada and met up with me in San Francisco over a US Labour Day weekend  a few years ago to try some mountain biking at Mammoth Mountain and kayaking on Mono Lake.

From the coast of California, we traveled through the Central Valley and 105ºF temperatures then into the foothills of Yosemite National Park and spectacular mountain vistas.  Can four men with three maps get lost when there are only two roads?  Of course not, but our group of Lost Boy Canadians did manage to see an hour more of Yosemite then we had to.  In an effort to make up lost time, or just for the thrill of it, Chris managed to set the rental car brakes on fire flying down the mountains.   From the eastern side of Yosemite, Mammoth was only a short 20min drive away.  The Lost Boys had managed to make it from Toronto to exotic Mammoth Mountain is a mere 10 hours.

I was considered the experienced tribal elder, and immediately hauled the young braves to the best little restaurant in Mammoth for the local delicacy of “Chicken Fried Steak”.  A brick of Crisco would have been more nutritious and probably more tasty.

Friday, our first full day in California, the tribe set out to Mono Lake for a two hour kayak.  This was Steve’s and Chris’s first kayaking experience.  Mono Lake is a deceptively huge mountain lake laden with calcium bicarbonate.  The calcium forms into weird mineral towers of formations called “tufas.”  The only life in the lake was brine shrimp so thick that the water was cloudy with them.  The few seagulls and ospreys were their only visible predators. The lake is so base that the water is said to “eat your clothes”.

The four seasoned kayakers headed straight out to an island in the middle of the lake formed of mud that had been pushed up from the bottom.  Having not looked back to shore to take our bearings on the trip out, the four Lost Boys went a little off course on the way back (but definitely not lost).  The problem was that the lake was round and so was the island. After hitting shore, we decisively headed in the wrong direction until a solo paddler turned them around after several hours of wasted paddling. A two hour paddle had turned into a four hour paddle.

Chris’s custom paddling technique had managed to cover him in dried calcium.   Steve, who shared a double kayak with Andrew on the return trip, had a curious technique that managed to cover Andrew with calcium.  The calcium got into Andrew’s eyes and partially blinded him for the rest of the paddle.  Andrew was the group’s first casualty on our growing injury list.

Looking like guest stars from Gilligan’s Island, the Lost Boys dragged their sorry, stiff muscles back to their condo in Mammoth for their mountain bike adventure.

None of us will ever forget the strange landscape of Mono Lake.

Canadian Destinations

Weave Cleveland of British Columbia — Musician, composer and Travel Guys cinematographer:

If I ever pick up a visitor to Vancouver at the airport [YVR] and we have a little extra time, I will take them to discover this interesting gem. It is a dilapidated old fishing village just inside a little spit of land on the banks of the southernmost tributary of the Fraser River. The tide ebbs and flows and affects everything inside the little water channel.

In the 1890’s a group of Finnish people found their ideal spot. They cleared farming fields for the land owners and earned their access to easy fishing. By the 1920s people were taking to putting motors on their boats. There were no bridges to help make one’s way to Vancouver. For the Finn’s it was an entire day’s trip to go to Vancouver and back by boat.

As the century passed the Finn’s left and squatters moved in. They’re not all squatters, some are fairly old people who want some solitude. It has been a sometimes contentious issue as they have been provided electricity but they don’t pay taxes. This is the romantic story I have been told and I do not care if it is true or not. It is always a special singular adventure for people to come and see Finn Slough.

Though not as isolated as it once was it’s still a little hard to find which is why it is a special secret discovery.

The village developed without the organization of property boundaries, city ordinances, provincial regulations or any governing body.

It’s the length of a football field, it’s falling apart at the seams and it’s home for some people.

Ringo Boitano — T-Boy writer and feeling rather Canadian today:

In Montréal you will you hear it pronounced “bah- gal” and yes, they are different.  In contrast to the New York-style bagel, the Montréal bagel is smaller, thinner, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and always baked in a wood-fired oven. It contains malt, egg, and no salt, and is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked. You will also hear from locals that they are the best and most authentic bagels in world.  I once took a homeless man, a Montréal expat living in Vancouver, for coffee and asked if he would like a bagel, too. He declined, adding that they were not real bagels; only Montréal has real bagels. His favorites and now mine: the bagels from Montréal’s historic St.-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel.

Québec City was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and is the only walled city in North America. The best way to explore this historic city is to stroll its narrow, cobblestone streets lined with stone houses, cathedrals and cafes. The city itself is nothing less than a living museum. Québec City has embraced its history, which is reflected with more than 32 museums, exhibition halls and interpretation centers. Pedestrian streets are populated with local artisans and musicians in this city were 95% of the residents are French-speaking. A quick journey down the funicular leads you to Lower Québec, the birthplace of the city. A ferry ride on the St. Lawrence River is mandatory for stunning photo opportunities; in particular the Château Frontenac which towers over the city and is, in many respects, the iconic symbol of Québec City.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park consists of 366 square miles of magnificent highlands and rugged coastal wilderness. Established in 1936 as the first national park in the Atlantic Provinces, it is for many the highpoint of a journey to Nova Scotia. The Cabot Trail, named for Italian navigator and explorer, Giovanni Caboto, (John Cabot), runs through the park, offering seemingly endless hiking opportunities. On foot, I spotted whales, bald eagles and even a moose, swimming across a lake. From the car I enjoyed picturesque valleys and unforgettable vistas of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

On the other side of the park is the Acadian town of Chéticamp. La Société Saint-Pierre is a cultural center whose main objective is to preserve Acadian heritage in Cape Breton. The French-speaking Acadians pre-dated the arrival of the English, but most fled the area after the defeat of France by the British in the French and Indian War. Many headed down to Louisiana to an area now known as Acadiana, where the Acadian name evolved into Cajun. The center features traditional crafts and food items. I made a note that Acadian chowder, unlike New England chowder, consists of a clear broth.

Halifax’s Old Town Clock sits on a grassy bluff, overlooking its historic downtown and waterfront. Erected in 1800 for the British garrison at the Citadel, it is the most important symbol of Halifax’s rich historical past. As I rested on the lawn below the octagon tower, I could see a hybrid city of elegant 18th-century architecture alongside modern buildings of glass and steel. Groups of tourist, locals and laughing school children strolled past me, while ships glided in the distance on the world’s second largest natural harbor. As the September sun shone down, I realized I could sit there forever.

Vancouver Island is located in British Columbia, along Canada’s West Coast. It is a region renowned for spectacular coastlines, rolling fields, old-growth rainforests, quaint towns and seemingly unlimited recreational activities. The only thing better than hiking in a rain forest is following a trail that leads to an ocean beach, and that is what you will get on the East Sooke Coast Trail. The park features 3512 acres of natural and protected coastal landscape and is considered one of the premier day hikes in Canada. The trail leads you through a dark, second growth forest of Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock to a protected beach, lined with driftwood and massive boulders. There’s even a little waterfall that cascades onto the beach. This is a west coast wilderness experience unlike any other. The hike takes approximately six-hours roundtrip. Leave early and remember to pack a picnic lunch for the beach.

Back to Livin’ in the USA

James Boitano — T-Boy Writer:

Favorite Domestic Cities
San Francisco
New Orleans
Boston
Washington DC

Favorite Domestic Small Towns
Walla Walla, WA
Solvang, CA
Sitka, AK
Montpellier, VT

Favorite Domestic Sites
Steptoe Butte State Park, WA State
Shiloh National Battlefield, TN
The National Mall/Smithsonian Museums, Washington DC
Yellowstone NP, Wyoming

Raoul Pascual — T-Boy illustrator, webmaster:

California:

1. beaches
2. golf courses (I don’t normally go because I don’t play, but I would like to just walk around there)
3. parks
4. orchards
5. mountainous areas like Big Bear
6. swimming pools
7. camp grounds
8. vineyards
9. parades
10. fishing

Specific local destination:

1. Huntington Library
2. Disneyland
3. Knotts Berry Farm
4. Yosemite/ Redwood
5. San Francisco
6. Carlsbad
7. Hollywood
8. Palm Springs
9. Orange County Fair
10. Sea World
11. Universal Studios/Warner Bros Studios

Sandy Lorrigan — Former director of Sitka Tourism:

Valdez, Alaska

There are hidden small towns that are full of robust adventure and Valdez, Alaska is one heck of unforgettable experience! Boat tours, kayaking and halibut and salmon fishing excursions entice adventurers from around the world and Valdez should be on your bucket list for outdoor fun! Jagged glaciers, seals, sea lions, porpoises, and huge whales are just part of the exciting ocean scenery! Surrounded by lush, deep green forested mountains, Valdez is tucked at the end of a fjord and the destination can be a trek to reach. The population is just under 4,000, and with several campgrounds, hotels and bed and breakfasts in the downtown area, the variety of visitors compliments the friendliness of the locals. The sea walk that aligns the harbor is a magnet each afternoon as boats unload their day’s catches and skilled boat crew filet fish with fast precision. Valdez is a pristine playground!

See Readers’ Poll Favorite Domestic Destinations

The post The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Domestic Destinations appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Members’ Selections

Ed Boitano – T-Boy editor:

• Space Needle — Seattle:  I would be amiss not to place this space age tower that has come to define my hometown at the top of my list. As a first-grader, each day at recess I would rush out to my elementary school playground and watch this architectural wonder’s construction, marveling at its new growth and futuristic space age splendor. Little did I know that in 1962 we were at the cusp of new era with the assassination of JFK and the arrival of the Beatles. And with the completion of the Space Needle for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition — Seattle World’s Fair, my little maritime town, seemingly hidden in the northwest corner of America, became a world-class city for the rest of the planet to see.
• Duomo di Milano — Italy: The stunning Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete, and today is the largest church in Italy; a technicality with the larger St. Peter’s Basilica in the State of Vatican City. Occupying an entire city block, the cathedral’s façade of pink-veined white Candoglia marble is adorned with 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures, and a gold-colored statue of the Madonnina, standing on the terrace’s highest spire.
• Roman Colosseum — Italy: The forerunner of the modern sports stadium, the Roman Colosseum (Anfiteatro Flavio) was the largest amphitheatre the world had ever seen. Constructed in AD 80 with travertine limestone, volcanic rock and brick-faced concrete, it was an engineering marvel with an enormous retractable awning to protect 50,000 to 80,000 spectators from the beating Roman sun. Programs included gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles on water, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology.
• Newgrange — Ireland: This megalithic mound was built by Neolithic farmers approximately 5000 years ago. Considered a place of astronomical and religious significance, at the dawn of winter solstice — December 19th to 23rd — the passage and chamber are illuminated by 17 minutes of light.
• Chicago Architecture River Cruise — The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 burnt down 3.3 square miles of the city, destroying 17,500 buildings. The rebuilding began almost immediately with architects pouring into the city, anxious to try out new architectural styles. You can see the results on a Chicago River cruise where 40 notable buildings are on display.

Richard Carroll – T-Boy writer:

• Tikal in Guatemala, dating to 200 A.D.
• Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, 600 A.D. The Maya sites in Mexico and Guatemala are stunning as old as the Egyptian Pyramids, but a huge step above, as they were cities, and much more thoughtful and intriguing than the pyramids.
• La Cite du Vin Bordeaux: Rising 55 meters into the Bordeaux sky, the creative and unusual architecture appearing like a huge ship’s hull or with a little imagination a wine barrel. The wine complex/museum is ranked number one in the world focusing on cutting edge technology, with incredible videos, like something Disney would create.
• Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, the forefront of architectural design, construction began in 537 A.D. and with enough history to fill a library. A breathtaking experience to visit Hagia Sophia.
• Eiffel Tower in Paris

Here in the U.S.:

• Statue of Liberty
• Empire State Building
• Golden Gate Bridge

Stephen Brewer – T-Boy writer:

• Fallingwater – Pennsylvania
• Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba – Spain
• Acropolis – Athens, Greece
• Empire State Building – NYC
• Mont–Saint–Michel – Normandy, France

Susan Breslow – T-Boy writer:

• Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach
• Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
• Sydney Opera House
• Dancing House, Prague
• La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
• Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
• Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
• St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
• Chrysler Building, NYC
• Taliesen West, Arizona

Jim Gordon – Co-host & co-producer Travel Guys TV:

• 300 ft tall Buddha statue in Leshan, China (filmed there in 2008, just breathtaking)
• Glasgow Cathedral in Scotland (filmed there in 2019, walking through a century of history, snuck a camera in, could’ve stayed for a day)
• Sydney Opera House in Australia (filmed there in 2005 & 2011, stood in awe of the design)
• Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (filmed there in 2009, I’ve seen many similar building designs, but this one with the city’s park beside it, the lights, stunning)
• Old Trafford, Manchester, England (filmed there in 2008, not my team, hate them, but to stand and film in that empty stadium, sporting cathedral really, left me breathless as a British football fan)

Richard Frisbie – T-Boy writer:

• In Sevilla – Parasol Metropol: the world’s largest wooden structure, a series of mushroom-shaped, interconnected buildings with undulating walkways over and through them – simply stunning – with the Roman ruins in the basement that prevented it from becoming the transportation hub it was designed for!
• In Saugerties – Opus 40: one of the oldest and most magnificent earthworks in the US – a series of stairs, ramps, and pools all made of bluestone, centering around a huge stone obelisk, created and built by one man, Harvey Fite.
• In Rio de Janeiro: the black and white tiled walks and walls created by Roberto Burle Marx. Also – any of his gardens, especially the one at his home: Sitio Santo Antonio da Bica.
• In Brasil – Oscar Niemeyer’s Museum: that looks like the star ship Enterprise, from the Star Trek series.
• The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain: Frank Gehry’s undulating titanium masterpiece.

James Boitano – T-Boy writer:

• St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow
• Stave Churches of Norway
• The ‘Three Bridges’ of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Aya Sophia Mosque in Istanbul
• Grand Coulee Dam, Washington State

Allan Smith – Artist & T-Boy writer:

• Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Antonio Gaudi
• Chrysler Building, NYC, New York. Architect: William Van Alen
• Great Pyramids, Giza, Egypt. Architect: unknown
• Bird’s Nest Stadium, Beijing, China. Architect: Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron
• Reims Cathedral, Reims, France. Architect: Jean d’Orbais
• Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. Architect: Anthemius of Tralles. Isidore of Miletus
• The Space Needle, Seattle, Washington. Architect: John Graham & Company
• Neuschwanstein Schlosse, Bavaria, Germany. Architect: Eduard Riedel
• Himeji Castle, Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. Architect: Toyotomi Hideyoshi
• Yellow Crane Temple, Wuhan, China. Architect: unknown

Deb Roskamp – T-Boy writer:

• Duomo di Milano – Milan, Italy: The awe-inspiring magnificence of scale… breathtaking!
• Statue of Liberty – NYC: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…T E A R S.
• Arch de Triomphe – Paris: So much history transcribed in its triumphal sculpting.
• Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles: Makes me happy every time I see it.
• The Space Needle – Seattle, Washington: Whimsical memories of the 60s in my home state.

Alex Brouwer – T-Boy writer:

• Machu Picchu – Peru
• Teotihuacán City/Pyramids – Mexico
• Chichen Itza – Mexico
• Stonehenge – England
• Eiffel Tower – France
• Honorable mention: Roman Colosseum and Leaning Tower of Pisa

Ringo Boitano – T-Boy Writer:

• Neuschwanstein Schlosse – Bavaria, Germany
• Taos Pueblo – New Mexico
• Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Brooklyn Bridge – NYC
• Emperor’s Palace – Imperial City of Huế, Vietnam

Brent Campbell – Musician & Composer:

• St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow
• The Guggenheim Museum in NYC
• Chicago Bean (aka Cloud Gate) in Chicago
• Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing 
• Seattle Space Needle

Greg Aragon – T-Boy Writer:

• Panama Canal
• Hoover Dam, Nevada
• California Aqueduct, which transports water 444 miles from Northern California to Southern California
• Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (886 ft-high), which spans the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada
• Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Fyllis Hockman – T-Boy writer:

• The Great Pyramids – Giza, Egypt
• Empire State Building – NYC  
• Chichen Itza – Yucatan, Mexico
• Mount Rushmore – South Dakota
• The Hermitage – St. Petersburg, Russia

T.E. Mattox – T-Boy music critic:

• Eiffel Tower – That guy lived in an apartment up there
• Roman Colosseum – Massive
• Musee d’Orsay – Paris. Train, train
• Toji – Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan 
• Duomo di Milano – Milan, Italy.  Majestic

David Erskine – T-Boy VP of advertising:

• Knossos on the Isle of Crete – Greece
• Taj Mahal – Agra, India
• Love Temples – Khajuraho, India
• Eiffel Tower – Paris
• Wat Pho ‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’ – Bangkok, Thailand
• Blue Mosque – Istanbul, Turkey
• Acropolis – Athens, Greece
• Roman Colosseum – Italy
• Empire State Building – NYC
• Munich Franuenkirche – Germany
• Red Fort – Delhi, India

Tom Tapp – Film & music critic:

• Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain
• The Ruins at Petra, Jordan
• The Anasazi cliff dwellings in Gila, Arizona 
• Highway 1 in California 
• The Medina of Marrakesh, Morocco

Raoul Pascual – T-Boy co-founder, illustrator and art director:

• Empire State Building, NYC
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
• Great Pyramids,  Giza, Egypt
• Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island in New York Harbor
• Singapore Changi Airport, Changi, Singapore

Lee Olson – TV producer & writer

• Summer Palace in Bejing – China
• Angkor Wat – Cambodia
• The Alhambra – Granada, Spain
• Versaille Chateau – France
• Chichen Itza “El Castillo” Pyramid – Yucatan, Mexico

Rourke – Film critic & musician:

• Eiffel Tower, Paris
• Roman Colosseum, Italy
• Brooklyn Bridge, NYC
• Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
• Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong

Honorable mentions:

• Trevi Fountain, Rome
• Holocaust Memorial, Boston
• Pan Pacific Theater, L.A. (burned years ago)

Chloe Erskine – Educator:

• The Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco
• The Walls of Benin – Edo, Nigeria

The post The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Man Made World Wonders appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) could read and compose music, plus play the violin and piano, when he was five years old. Born into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria (then the Holy Roman Empire), he had a unique ability for imitating music, which first became evident when he recited a musical piece by simply observing his father conducting a lesson to his older sister. This led to a childhood on the road, where the young prodigy performed before many of the royal courts of Europe. At 17, no longer a child prodigy, he returned to Salzburg and accepted a post as a court musician, but was frustrated with the poor salary and lack of opportunities. His early travels and uncanny memory, though, had provided him with a plethora of musical styles and experiences, from which he used to create his own compositional language. He eventually settled in Vienna where he achieved fame, and is now considered one of the most influential and prolific composers of the Classical era. Mozart was never happy with his career in Salzburg as he experienced little fame; however, the city today is a Mecca for all things Amadeus. An essential stop is a visit to Mozart’s Geburtshaus (birthplace). This is the house where his parents lived for 26 years and young Mozart was educated. Now a three-story museum, it is filled with original instruments – Mozart’s childhood violin, concert violin, clavichord and pianoforte – portraits, family letters, and furniture and objects of daily use, including Mozart’s very cradle. I strongly recommend a private tour, where guides are walking encyclopedias about his life. I asked why were Mozart’s famous eyes so bulging? He didn’t eat his vegetables!

Another Mozart must is a dinner concert at the famous Stiftskeller St. Peter, considered the “oldest restaurant in Europe.” The concert is performed by candlelight between food courses, prepared with traditional recipes from Mozart’s era. Period-costumed musicians, including two opera singers, perform arias from “Don Giovanni”, “Le Nozzi di Figaro” and “The Magic Flute.” Dining under magnificent chandeliers and surrounded by 18th century décor, not to mention the stirring music, is like being transported back to the magical times of Mozart.

The setting in Salzburg, itself an enchanting fairytale of a city, only enhances the experience. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city’s wealth was built on the mining of salt (‘salt’ translates to ‘salz’ in German, hence the city’s name). The west bank of the Salsas River borders the Alborg Historic Centre (known to locals as the Altadt), and is where most of the attractions are located. The fortress Festung Hohensalzburg towers over stunning baroque architecture and narrow cobblestone streets where smartly dressed locals sit in elegant coffee houses, noshing on delicate pastries and Mozartkugln (Mozart chocolate balls).

Edvard Grieg – Troldhaugen – Bergen, Norway

Despite his diminutive 5 ft frame, Norwegian composer Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a towering rock star long before the expression existed. Born into a successful Bergen merchant family in 1843, his life dramatically changed when violin virtuoso Ole Bull recognized his talent and also introduced him to the treasures of Norwegian folk music. Grieg studied the masters abroad, but dreamed of reprieves to his beloved Norwegian countryside – a pattern which continued after he became a world-renowned composer. Grieg and his wife built a home on Lake Nordås on the edge of Bergen, which he called his best opus so far. Christened Troldhaugen, the Victorian villa featured a tower, flag pole and rooftop vegetable garden. It soon became a center piece for Bergen’s artistic community and visiting dignitaries. Grieg loved the attention, but needed quiet to work, and built a composer’s hut by the lake. Grieg died in 1907 of chronic exhaustion. But today his legacy lives on at Troldhaugen – a living museum consisting of the Edvard Grieg Museum, the Villa, the Composer’s Hut, Concert Hall and Edvard Grieg´s tomb. For me the highpoint of a visit to Troldhaugen was a recital at the concert hall, which is discreetly built right into the grounds, complete with sod roof. The floor-to-ceiling windows behind the stage overlooks the composer’s hut where Grieg would work, superstitiously sitting on a stack of sheet music by Beethoven so that he could reach the piano. At the end of each day, he would leave a note: “If anyone should break in here, please leave the musical scores, since they have no value to anyone except Edvard Grieg.”

It is essential that you spend at least two days in Bergen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bergen boasts endless tourist attractions, and the Bergen Tourist Card is an important component to your tour of this historic harbor town. The price allows you free or reduced- price admittance to the Bergen Art Museum, Fantoft Stave Church (a medieval wooden cathedral), harbor boat tour, Bergen Castle, and St Mary’s Church. Wander through the harbor fish market and down the wooden streets of the historic warehouse district. A fish buffet should be on everyone’s list for a sampling of Bergen’s world-famous fish soup, gravlaks (cured Atlantic salmon), fish cakes and hearty breads, all washed down with the city’s own Hansa beer.

Jimi Hendrix – Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP) – Seattle

For this native Seattleite, the Emerald City’s most famous export is James Marshall Hendrix. Born in 1942, Hendrix’s life in Seattle was unremarkable. A second cousin of mine discovered from an attendance record that ‘Jimmy’ had actually been one of his students at Garfield High School – nine years after the fact. Hendrix later dropped out of school and joined the army, never looking back. A self-taught musician, the left-handed Hendrix played a restrung right-handed guitar upside down, creating a completely original sound. Discovered in New York by the former Animals’ bassist, Chas Chandler, Hendrix was relocated to London, where his name was changed, the Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed, and his career blossomed. Once asked if he was from Seattle, Jimi replied, ‘A thousand years ago.’ None the less, he was one of us.

I was a wide-eyed adolescent at the time of his death in Sept of 1970, and snuck into his memorial at the Seattle Center. Eric Clapton and Mitch Mitchell were in attendance. It seemed fitting, though, when Paul Allen created a museum for Jimi at the Seattle Center almost 30 years after his death at 27. Famed architect Frank O. Gehry was commissioned to build the museum, which must be seen to be believed. Coined the Experience Music Project (now Museum of Pop Culture), the venue showcases the world’s largest collection of rare artifacts, hand-written lyrics, personal instruments, and original photographs celebrating the music and history of Jimi Hendrix. I found the exhibit devoted to the early Northwest sound particularly riveting, where local legends like the Wailers and Sonics would ravage the crowd at the iconic Tacoma club, the Spanish Castle. The then unknown Jimmy would occasionally sit in (sometimes playing outside on the sidewalk) and later immortalized the club in his song, “Spanish Castle Magic.”

After experiencing Jimi at the Museum of Pop Culture, make sure you spend some time at the Seattle Center, site of the 1962 World’s Fair. To get there, simply hop on the Monorail, located in the Westlake Mall across the street from Nordstrom, for the ten-minute journey. The ride still seems futuristic to me. Spread across 74-acres, it is one of the U.S.’ greatest urban parks. The centerpiece of the city park is the iconic 520 ft., the Space Needle. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, it too was created for a World’s Fair. Avoid the pricey revolving restaurant and head to the observation deck. You will see the appeal of the Emerald City; framed by the snowcapped Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Puget Sound and Lake Washington, not to mention lakes, canals and bike trials cutting through the city proper.

The post Three Musical Pilgrimages: Mozart, Grieg and Hendrix appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Courtesy Nina Kokotas Hahn

Seattle, the South, and New York women dominated last week’s awards in Chicago

Turns out that Seattle is now the place to go for amazing Southern food at a restaurant run by a French-trained chef. Edourado Jordan scored the most coveted loot at last night’s James Beard Awards — the so-called Oscars of the food world—taking home Best New Restaurant for Seattle’s buzzy JuneBaby and Best Chef: Northwest for Salare. Jordan’s first restaurant, the French-Italian Salare, was followed by JuneBaby, which Jordan says tells the story of Southern food in America.

“I’m able to tell that story 3,000 miles away from where it first landed on American soil, and people are hearing me and understanding what I’m trying to do,” Jordan told us. “It’s an amazing feeling to be in the Pacific Northwest and have a Southern restaurant that people are listening to. I think with Salare and JuneBaby, we’re waking up the country that Seattle is a force to be reckoned with from a food standpoint.”

Other big James Beard Award winners of the night were Gabrielle Hamilton of New York’s Prune for Outstanding Chef, Camille Cogswell of Philadelphia’s Isreali-themed Zahav for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and Birmingham’s Highlands Bar & Grill for Outstanding Restaurant. Dolester Miles of the Alabama restaurant, who made it to stage with tears of joy, also took home the Outstanding Pastry Chef award.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

2018 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant JuneBaby, Seattle
Outstanding Chef Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC
Outstanding Baker Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
Outstanding Bar Program Cure, New Orleans
Outstanding Pastry Chef Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Outstanding Restaurant Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Outstanding Restaurateur Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others), Los Angeles
Outstanding Service Zuni Café, San Francisco
Outstanding Wine Program FIG, Charleston, SC
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia
Best Chef: Great Lakes Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Jeremiah Langhorne, The Dabney, Washington, D.C.
Best Chef: Midwest Gavin Kaysen, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
Best Chef: New York City Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY
Best Chef: Northeast Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston
Best Chef: Northwest Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle
Best Chef: South Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast Rodney Scott, Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Charleston, SC
Best Chef: Southwest Alex Seidel, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver
Best Chef: West Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Restaurant Design Award for 75 Seats and Under The MP Shift (Amy Morris, Anna Polonsky, and Julie Nerenberg) for De Maria, NYC
Restaurant Design Award for 76 Seats and Over Aidlin Darling Design with a l m project (Joshua Aidlin, David Darling, Adam Rouse, and Andrea Lenardin Madden) for In Situ, San Francisco
Design Icon The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Missouri

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

Agra, however, isn’t the worst place in India for smog: Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta are known to have some of the worst air quality in the world. Even lesser-known India destinations are affected by smog: the city of Jodhpur, which attracts tourists to its colorful and quaint “blue city,” has also been known to suffer from poor air quality.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hoping to spot historic forts and towering skyscrapers that draw travelers to Saudi Arabia’s financial hub? Harmful emissions paired with dust storms can create near-unbreathable air conditions that might keep you from visiting. Riyadh is a manufacturing hub rife with cars that, when sand kicks up around the Saudi capital, can see thick smog that greatly blurs visibility and irritates lungs.

Los Angeles, California

It’s not just developing countries that suffer from poor air quality. Los Angeles is the worst place in the U.S. for ozone pollution, according to the American Lung Association, and the state of California is home to many of the other worst-ranked cities for air quality. Thanks to a combination of cars, the Golden State’s weather and topography, and added smog from less rainfall and more frequent wildfires in recent years, the air quality index is often over 100, which is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The third-largest city in South America, Buenos Aires can get thick with smog on hot summer days thanks to the fact that many cars in the city run on diesel fuel, which burns particularly dense emissions. The city ranks slightly worse than Los Angeles for air quality, according to data from the World Health Organization, and slightly better than Paris and Rome.

Beijing, China

Crowded China has a reputation for smog, so most travelers to Beijing might know what to expect: crowds in gauzy face masks and buildings with heavy grade air filtration systems. Why? The air quality index here can get as high as the 400s — and have even surpassed the maximum grade of 500 before.

Paris, France

Paris, which has gone so far as to ban old-model cars (pre-1997) in an effort to go green, is still striving to fight car emissions that contribute to its poor air quality. Paris public transit is free to passengers on days with high smog, a move meant to encourage residents and visitors to ditch their vehicles and instead use the sprawling Metro system to get around. Recently, legislators have even proposed making free public transit permanent to improve air quality.

Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand is a popular bucket-list vacation for its awe-inspiring natural wonders and religious sites, but flying into Bangkok brings a heavy dose of urban air pollution. Air quality in the Thai capital can hit dangerous levels that cause residents – especially children — to stay inside until the smog lifts, and make masks commonplace.

Lagos, Nigeria

The largest metropolis on the continent of Africa is in the country ranked worst in the world for air pollution. Lagos, Nigeria is infamous for traffic and home to an unreliable electrical grid that means many residents rely on diesel generators instead. The intense sunlight near the equator only worsens the air quality index, making for thick smog and health problems for many of its residents. Lagos’s resort-addled Victoria Island is no exception.

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